Grinder attachment for a lathe

Abstract

A self-contained grinder attachment employs a rigid housing having an electric motor mounted thereon for driving both a grinding wheel and a blower which sucks air and loose particles entrained therein from the grinding area, the shaft on which the grinding wheel is mounted being connected to the housing by flexible and resilient connections thereby to isolate the grinding wheel from vibrations originating in the motor and in the lathe itself.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Grinding apparatus, comprising a rigid housing,   a driven shaft having a first shaft portion and a second shaft portion,   spaced apart bearing means journaling said first shaft portion in said housing,   said second shaft portion being of tubular construction,   said first shaft portion extending onto said second shaft portion   resilient annular means compressed between said first and second shaft portions,   a grinding wheel fixedly mounted on said shaft,   a plurality of elastomeric rings respectively surrounding said bearing means and compressed between said housing and said bearing means,   said rings providing the sole connection between said bearing means and said housing,   a third driven shaft portion to which said grinding wheel is connected,   said third driven shaft portion extending into said second shaft portion,   other resilient annular means compressed between said second and third shaft portions,   a driven pulley mounted to said first portion of said driven shaft,   an electric motor mounted to said housing and having an output shaft,   a drive pulley disposed on said output shaft, and   a flexible, resilient belt drivingly connected between said pulleys.   
     
     
       2. Grinding apparatus according to claim 1, comprising a wheel guard partially enclosing said grinding wheel,   an impeller mounted to said first shaft portion and located within a chamber in said housing,   a conduit having one end opening into said guard adjacent said wheel and having the other end opening onto the suction side of said impeller, and   a porous dust collector bag mounted over an opening in said housing on the pressure side of said impeller.   
     
     
       3. A grinding attachment according to claim 2, wherein said conduit comprises a flexible tube.   
     
     
       4. A grinding attachment according to claim 3, wherein said flexible tube is mounted at one end to said wheel guard.   
     
     
       5. A grinding attachment according to claim 2 wherein said housing comprises a first portion to one side of which said motor is mounted and   a second tubular portion extending from said one side of said first portion and through which said second shaft portion extends.   
     
     
       6. Grinding apparatus, comprising a rigid housing   a driven shaft having first, second and third shaft portions,   bearing means respectively journaling said first and third portions in spaced apart alined relationship in said housing   said second shaft portion being tubular and interposed between said first and third shaft portions,   said first and third shaft portions respectively extending into the opposite ends of said second shaft portion,   a plurality of resilient annular means respectively compressed between said first and third shaft portions and said second shaft portion,   a grinding wheel mounted to said third shaft portion,   a driven pulley mounted to said first shaft portion,   an electric motor having an output shaft,   said motor being mounted to said housing,   a drive pulley mounted to said output shaft, and   a flexible, resilient belt drivingly connected between said pulleys.